Beading and flanging machine



4Aug. 17, 1954 E. LAXO 2,686,551

BEADING AND FLANGING MACHINE Filed April 20, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet l E.LAXO BEADING AND FLANGING MACHINE Aug. 17, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledApril 20, 1951 JNVENTOR. PLA/Y0 Aug. 17, 1954 E. LAxo 2,686,551

BEADING AND FLANGING MACHINE Filed April 20, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Allg17, 1954 E. I Axo BEADING AND FLANGING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FiledApril 20, 1951 AUTOP/VEY Patented Aug. 17, 1954 UNITED STATES TENTOFFICE READING AND FLANGING MACHINE Ed Laxe, Oakland, Calif., assignerto Continental Can Company, Enc., New York, N. Y.

4 Ciairns. l

rllhis invention relates to a machine for beading and/or flanging canbodies.

Can bodies are frequently beaded, that is they are formed with one ormore peripheral grooves, to strengthen the metal. By this means it ispossible to use a thinner gauge metal in forming can bodies.

A can beader should operate at high speed and should perform the beadingoperation uniformly and accurately. Also, it should operate so as not todamage or deform can bodies during the beading operation. It is alsodesirable to provide adjustment means to vary the spacing and number ofbeads and to adjust the machine for can bodies of different diametersand dierent heights.

Machines heretofore used for beading operations have been relativelycomplex in their design and operation. In beading a can body it isnecessary to provide a male die or seaming tool and a female die orchuck. The male die bears against the outer surface of the can body andthe female die bears against the inner surface of the can body. In priorcan body beaders, the design and operation of these dies have been suchthat their movements are complex and their timing is difcult.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved machinewhich is capable of performing beading or flanging or other similaroperations on can bodies or the like.

It is a further object of the invention to pron vide a machine of thecharacter and for the purpose described which is capable of high speed,de pendable and accurate operation.

Itis further object of the invention to provide means for adjusting acan body bea-der or anger to vary the number and spacing of the beadsand to adjust the machine for can bodies of different diameters andheights.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a machine of thecharacter and for the purpose described which is simple in design andincludes fewer moving parts and fewer timing diiculties than machinespreviously designed.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a machine which iscapable of performing both beading and langing operations on can bodies.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from theensuing description and the appended claims.

One form of the invention is illustrated by way of example in theaccompanying drawings and is described in detail hereinafter.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view partly in longitudinal section and partlyin elevation of the machine of the invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken along the line II-II of Figure 1.Figure 2 also shows the feed screw.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view on a larger scale than that ofFigure l, showing the beading and Hanging chucks and bars in detail.

Figure 4 is a section taken along the line IV-IV of Figure 5, and itshows the pivotal means for mounting the beading spindles.

Figure 5 is a view in elevation of a beading chuck and spindle as seenfrom the top of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view, partly in section and partly inelevation, showing the adjustable mounting means for the beadingspindles.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view, partly in section and partly inelevation, showing the means for mounting the tie rods.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to Figures 1 and 2,the machine is generally designated as lil and it includes a body feedassembly Il for feeding can bodies l2 to the machine, and an exit chutei3 for removal of can bodies after completion of the beading and angingoperations. The feed assemblyl i l includes a feed screw it which isjournaled in bearings i5 and is driven by means including a shaft it intimed relation to operation of the machine as a whole. The feed assemblyil also includes side rails or bars, two of which are shown at il andit.

Referring more particularly to Figure l, two of the several beading andilanging assemblies are there shown in section and are designated as 25.As will be apparent from Figure 2, there are six of the assemblies 25disposed equi-angularly about a central drive shaft 26. Of course agreat er or lesser number of assemblies may be einployed. The driveshaft 25 is journaled in bearings, one of which is shown at 2l and whichare fixed to the frame 28 of the machine. rlhe shaft 25 is driven bysuitable means including a gear 29.

Each of the assemblies 25 comprises identical leftand right-handportions 25u and 25h respectively. The description, for the most part,will be with respect to the lefthand assembly 25a. A spider 3U is keyedat 3l to the shaft 26 and it will be seen that the spider can beadjusted lengthwise of the shaft for a purpose described hereinafter.When suitable adjustment has been made, the spider is clamped inadjusted position by means of a screw 32. The spider 3B is formed witharms 33 which slidably support slide inembers 34, one of which is bestshown in Figure 4. As there shown, the spider arms 33 are formed withL-shaped, machined portions 35 to slidably receive the slide member 34and gibs 3E are provided to retain the slide in place.

The slide member 34 includes a sleeve bearing 31 Within which a spindle38 is rotatable. Bushings 39 are provided in which the spindle 32 isfreely rotatable. Suitable means may be provided for positively rotatingthe spindle 3S, e. g. a sprocket 40 which is keyed at il to the spindleand a chain 42 extending about the perimeter' of the machine and meshingwith the sprockets. The chain 42 is suitably anchored at one point (notshown) to the frame ci the machine so that rotation of the sprockets 49about the axis oi shaft Z6 will cause rotation of the sprockets andhence of the spindles 28 about their axes. The

-sprocket 46 is keyed to the spindle for sliding movement along thelength of the spindle, so that as the spindles are reciprocated in theinanner and for the purpose described hereinafter, the sprockets iiiwill nevertheless remain in the same position.

It Will be apparent that, as the shaft 26 and with it the spider 3Grotate, each slide member 31S Will also rotate and its spindle 38 willrotate about its own axis and about the axis of the drive shaft 26. Areciprocating motion is also irnparted to each slide member 34, and withit to its spindle 38, by means of a cam Q which abuts the outer end ofthe sleeve 30. A bushing is provided so that the shaft 26 is freelyrotatable within the cam 45. The cam 45 is formed with an annular groove31, and it will be seen from an inspection of the left-hand cam d5 thatthe cam groove 4? has a high point at lla corresponding to the advancedor innermost position of the spindle 38, and a W point at 41hcorresponding to the retracted or outermost position of the spindle 38.A roller 138 rides in the cam groove 41 and. is connected, as by meansof a stub shaft 49 and a nut 56, to the slide 34.

Referring more particularly to Figure 3, it will be seen that, at itsinner end, each spindle 35 is xed to a chuck or female die 5I. In canbody beaders of prior design the dies corresponding to the dies 5l arecalled spindles, but for convenience of description and to distinguishthem from the spindles 38, they will be referred to hereinafteraschucks.

The right-hand chuck. 5l is formed in three parts, i. e., a cap orhanging portion 52 which is formed with an annular hanging shoulder 53,an intermediate portion 54 which is formed with annular beading grooves55 and an end portion 5B which is also formed with one or more beadinggrooves 51. The several parts are clamped together and to the spindle 38by means of a cap screw 58 which is countersunk in a recess 59. Theleft-hand chuck 5I is of generally similaiconstruction but its endportion 56a. is smaller and is not formed with a beading groove.

Each spider 30 also Ysupports a pair or spaced guide plates S5 which areformed with holes E6 to receive, and permit passage of, the chucks 5i,

and it also supports a pair of spaced turret plates -61 which are formedWith pockets 5S. The pockets 68 are best shown in Figure 2 and, as thereshown, rollers E9 are rotatably mounted at the outer edges ofVeachpoclset 68. As shown in both Figures l and cap screws 15 serve tobolt the turret plates S1 to the spider 30.

The chucks or female dies El are intended to cooperate with male die orbeading assembly 15 which shown in Figure 3. Referring thereto, leitandright-hand support rings 'its and lh ae provided on opposite sides ofthe heading and hanging station. As shown in Figures 2 and '1, tie harsor rods 11 are provided at spaced intervals about the support rings lcand 16h and are thereto as by means of split cellars 18 and cap screws19. As shown in Figure '1, the tie rod 11 are clamped to the frame ofthe machine by means ci screws Si).

A suitable number oi cross bars il are provided as shown in Figure 2. Asshown in Figure 3, each cross bar di extends botween and is adjustablymounted on the support rings 16d and 1Gb by means or" screw assemblies82. Each of the screw assemblies S comprises a tubular screwv which isformed with an axial passage through which a screw $5 extends. The innerend of the screw 35 is threaded at 85 into one end of the cross bar Si.The outer or tubular screw d'5 extends 'through a passage Si formed inthe lip 33 of the support 15a or 'Eto and, as will be seen, the passage8i is of sufciently large diameter to allow a certain amount of play oithe screw B3. At its inner end the screw S3 is threaded to a Square nutSli-a which is located so closely to the support ring that it cannotturn and will not, therefore, loosen during oper tion oi the machine. Aloci; nut 2S is als-o provided.

t wil. be apparent that cross bars 2l can be adjusted with greatprecision. Thus, they can be moved inwardly or outwardly and they can bewarped, by manipulation of the screw assemblies 8'3. Thus, if it isdesired to move inwardly the righ"-hand end of the cross bar Si shown inFigure 3, it is merely necessary to screw the right-hand screw 83inwardly. If it is to move the right-hand end ci the cross bar loutwardly, it is merely necessary to sere" the righthand screw f3outwardly, then tighten the loci; nut The relatively large iam-.eter o'.the holes 51 allows some play to the screws hence mits warping the crossbars 8 I.

The cross bar il! is formed with grooves to receive beading oars Se andhanging bars 91. The bars Sii and 52's' are arcuate bar which lie on anare extending from a receiving station A to a delivery station B (seeFigure 2). are to the cross bars Eil by means oi screws Each oi" thebeading bars il@ is iornieri with a beading rib 5? and each of theianging hais :il is formed with a beveled ianging shoulder lf. The ribs93 are of a rounded shape calculated to form annular grooves or beadslili in a can body, in cooperation with the heading grooves 55 oi thechucks 5i, and the beveled shoulders it are of a convex shape calculatedto form flanges it?. in cooperation with the shoulders of the chucks 5l.

1t will be apparent from an inspection oi Figures l and 3 that, as thedrive shaft ..5 rotates the spindles 3%; and the chucks 5l will alsorotate about the oi the drive shaft 2S and each of the spindles andchucks will also rotate about their own axis. lt will also be apparentthat the cams d5 will cause each pair of spindles 33 and chucks 5i toreciprocate between an outermost or retracted position as shown at thelower edge or" Figure l and an innermost or advanced position as shownat the upper edgeof Figure 1 and in Figure 3. This latter operation istimed so that, as each can body is delivered at the delivery station Aby the feed screw lll and is seated in a pocket 58 of the turret platesel, the spindle 33 and chucks 5i will move inwardly to the positionshown in Figure 3 in which the annular grooves 55 are in registry withthe beading ribs e9 and the shoulders 53 are in registry with theshoulders EEST! of the iiangmg bars. Continued rotation or" the driveshaft 2t will cause the can body to traverse the inner edges of thebeading bars @tand flanging bars 9i. Meanwhile, because of frictionalengagement of the can bodies with the beading bars and flanging bars thecan bodies will roll along the bars 9E and 9i. It will thus be apparentthat beads itil and flanges H02 will be formed on the can bodies. Wheneach can body, after completion of the beading and anging operations,reaches the station B, a deiiector bar M13 will deect it to the exitchute i3.

As illustrated in the drawings, positive means such as the sprockets lltand a chain l2 are provided for positively rotating the spindles 38 andchucks 5i about their own axes. However, it is not necessary to provideany such means. In most cases, if not all cases, frictional engagementof the chucks Si with the can bodies will cause rolling oi the canbodies.

During the beading and flanging operations, the chucks 5i and theseaming and anging bars et and Sl' are, of course, held in operativerelation to each other. In prior beaders this is accomplished by movingthe beading rollers radially inwardly toward the can bodies and holdingthem in engagement with the can bodies during the beading operation. Thechucks or beading spindles are not moved radially.

By way of contrast in the beading machine of my invention the chucks 5iare mounted for radial movement as well as for rotative movement aboutthe central axis of the machine and reciprocating movement transverselyof the beading and flanging bars. Also, the chucks 5i are pivotallymounted and are subjected to a constant yielding force which is exertedin an outward, radial direction. This type of mounting and its inode ofoperation and signicance will now be described.

Referring to Figures Li and 5, each sleeve ill is formed at each endwith an arm l iii which is pivotally mounted on pivot pin il l. Thepivot pins are clamped to bosses l i2 formed on the slide Sli. riheslide is formed with two projecting lugs iitl and the sleeve 3l isformed with a projecting lug iid having a slot H5 to receive a screw iit. A gib il? bridges the gap between the lugs l li and is boltedthereto by means of screws l i3, and it is formed with a slot lie toreceive the screw iii. A coil spring E25 is mounted on the screw l iSand is compressed between the lug i ifi and a square nut lit whichprevented from turning by an angle bracket E21.

It will be apparent that each spring H25 will constantly urge itsspindle 38 and chuck 5i outwardly will urge the lugs H3 against the gibi il. in this position each chuck 5i will bear rmly against a can bodyand will hold the can body iirmly against the bars St and Si. However,each chuck will yield inwardly whenever an extra thickness of metals isencountered, as at a side seam.

Means are also provided for adjusting the machine ior can bodies ofdifferent diameters and dierent heights. Adjustment for can bodies of adiierent diameter can be made by removing the turret plates 6l andreplacing them with turret plates having pockets 68 of the proper radius(see Figures 1 and 2). Adjustment for can bodies of a different heightis accomplished by the means shown in Figure 6.

Referring to Figure 6, one of the cams 15 is there shown and it isprovided with an extension or hub I3@ which is formed with a flange i3d.The ilange iti is bolted to a flange 32 which has a hub 33 formed withtwo diametrically opposite bosses |34, only one of which is shown inFigure 6. A threaded rod i353 is provided which is Xed at one end bymeans of a set screw its to one of the bosses i3d, and which extendsthrough an end casting or leg ll of the frame of the machine. Nuts l 38and i3d are threaded onto the rod on opposite sides oi the casting itl.A smooth, unthreaded guide rod (not shown) is provided on the oppositeside of the drive shaft 26.

It will be apparent that, by loosening one of the nuts i3d, i3d andturning the other nut clockwise, the rod E35, and with it the cam liti,will be moved one way or the other along the shaft 25, and that one setof spindles and chucks 5l can be adjusted to accommodate can bodies of agiven height. When adjustment has been made, the other nut is tightenedto lock the cam i5 in adjusted position. Further adjustments may also berequired; e. g., when the cam is shifted outwardly for taller canbodies, the adjoining spider 3S must be loosened, shifted until it isagain in abutting relation to the cam 55, and then clamped to the shaft2E. Also, adjustment of the righthand chuck 5i may be necessary; e. g.,it may be necessary or desirable to substitute a shorter or a longer endportion 55.

Among the advantages of the machine thus described and illustrated maybe mentioned the following The beading and hanging operations areperformed by tools (i. e. by the beading bars et and ilanging bars 91),which are stationary. The only moving parts are the central drive shaft25 and the parts carried thereby including 'the spindles 38 and thechucks 5i which also have a rotary motion about their own axes and alongitudinal, reciprocating motion. The necessity of moving a beading orflanging tool into contact with a can body, then removing it, all intimed relation to a very rapidly operating machine, is completelyobviated. The reciprocating and rotary motions of the chucks andspindles are relatively simple and do not present nearly as great atiming diiculty as the beading tools of prior machines. As aconsequence, the machine of my invention is simple in its constructionand operation and is capable of high speed, accurate and dependableperformance.

The pivotal mounting and spring bias of the beading spindles and chucksare highly advantageous. As explained hereinabove, in prior headers,beading rollers are provided which are moved inwardly by positivemechanical means to accomplish the beading operation. The complicationsof a positive mechanical movement are avoided in the machine of thepresent invention, by mounting the beading spindles and chucks foroutward radial movement, and holding them normally in operative positionbut allowing inward yielding in proportion to the thickness of metalencountered.

The machine of my invention can also be adjusted easily and quickly forvarying conditions. Thus, the chucks 5l can be readily changed toprovide a greater or lesser number of beads and to provide or omit afianging operation, as desired. The beading bars 96 and hanging bars 91:can be rapidly and accurately adjusted by the screw mountingsillustrated in Figure 3. The machine is easily adjusted for can bodiesoi a diierent height by the means illustrated in Figure 6, and it isequally easily adjusted for can bodies of a different diameter bysubstitution of turret plates 61.

Yet another advantage resides in the particular structure of the chucks5i. Referring to Figure 3, it Will be seen that the chucks compriseidentical intermediate or body portions Se, each of which has tWoseaming grooves 5%. If it is desired to form a middle bead illl on canbodies, then an end portion such as shown at 56 is fitted on theright-hand chuck.. If a middle bead is not desired, then both chucks aretted With end portions such as shown at 56a. In either case, the strokeof the chucks remains the same. This will be made apparent by aninspection of Figure 1. Referring thereto, it will be seen that when thechucks 5l are in their advanced, operating positions as shown at the topof Figure i (and in Figure 3), the two chucks will touch, or nearly so,and that the center beading groove 51 and the'center beading bar 9icoincide with the center of the can body. When retracted as shown at thebottom of Figure l, the left-hand (or short) chuck 5! clears the canbody by a greater margin than the right-hand chuck El. Nevertheless, thetwo chucks make the same stroke, and if a small (ungrooved) end portion56a is iitted to the right-hand chuck instead of the large (grooved) endportion 99, the stroke will remain the same. It will, therefore, beapparent that provision is made for forming or omitting a center bead,without the necessity of varying the stroke of the beading chucks andspindles.

I claimt l. A can body beader comprising a rotary turret adapted toreceive can bodies and to rotate the same in sequence about the turretaxis from a receiving station to a discharge station; an arcuate beadingmember concentric to said turret, said beading member being adapted tobead can bodies; a plurality of cooperable dies mounted for rotationabout the turret axis in juxtaposition to said beading member, said diesbeing also mounted for reciprocation transversely to said beadingmember; means yieldably urging each die toward said beading member;means for positively rotating said dies; and means for reciprocating thesame in timed relation to rotation thereof to hold each can bodyreceived by the turret in operative relation to said beading member asit is carried by the turret and to release the same at the dischargestation.

2. A can body beader comprising a rotary turret adapted to receive canbodies and to rotate the same in sequence about the turret axis from areceiving station to a discharge station; an arcuate beading memberconcentric to said turret and spaced radially therefrom, said beading Ymember being adapted to bead can bodies; a plurality of cooperable diesmounted for reciprocating motion transversely to said beading member andfor rotation about the turret axis in `juxtaposition to said beadingmember, said dies being also pivotally mounted for radial movementtoward said beading member and being yieldably biased toward saidbeading member, each of said dies being also mounted for rotation aboutits own axis; means for positively rotating said dies with said turret;and means for reciprocating the same in timed relation to rotation ofthe turret to hold each can body received by the turret in operativerelation to the beading member and to release the same at the dischargestation.

3. A can body beader comprising a frame; a turret rotatable therein;dies for urging can bodies carried by the turret radially and outwardlyinto operative relation to an arcuate beading member; an arcuate beadingmember arranged concentrically to said turret and spaced radially andoutwardly therefrom, said beading member comprising a mounting ringcarried by the frame and an arcuate beading bar carried by said ring;and screw means for radial adjustment of said ring.

4. A can body beader and flanger comprising a frame, a turret rotatabletherein for rotating can bodies from a receiving station to a dischargestation; a ring carried by the frame, arranged concentrically to saidturret and spaced radially and outwardly therefrom; a plurality ofarcuate beading bars and a plurality of arcuate Hanging bars; screwmeans mounting said bars on said ring for radial adjustment; a spidermounted for rotation with said turret; a plurality of pairs ofdie-and-chuck members carried by said spider, each said pair beingarranged for reciprocating motion along and rotation about a common axisperpendicular to said beading and flanging bars, and being pivotallymounted for radial movement toward said bars; means yieldably urgingeach said die-and-chuck member toward said bars; means for rotating theturret and with it said spider and die-and-chuck members; cam means forreciprocating said dieand-chuck members in timed relation to rotationthereof to enter each can body received by the turret, yieldably urge ittoward said beading and fianging bars, and release each can body at thedischarge station; and means for rolling each can as it rotates with theturret.

eierenccs Cited in the die of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 586,661 Holden July 20, 1897 1,104,751 Wegner July 21, 19141,143,976 Kruse June 22, 1915 1,313,998 Kruse Aug. 26, 1919 1,365,073Allerton Jan. 11, 1921 1,609,986 Brenzinger Dec. 7, 1926 2,421,450Barrie June 3, 1947 2,424,581 Peters July 29, 1947

